by Cape Breton University President David Wheeler says the Saudi government’s decision to end scholarships for the region will mean a huge drop in the number of students from the Middle Eastern country.
Wheeler adds there are just under 300 Saudi Arabian students at CBU and most of them are beneficiaries of the scholarship.
Since 2005, Saudi Arabia has paid for students’ university tuition and living expenses in more than 30 countries through its King Abdullah Scholarship Program.
It’s not clear why the program is being ended, although Saudi Arabia says it will honour all of the current scholarship programs in Atlantic Canada.
Meanwhile, the executive director of the Association of Atlantic Universities, Peter Halpin says the Saudi government’s move comes as harsh news to a university community already struggling with enrollment numbers.